Hi,
The programme I developed for Blondie is tailor-made for her. Each next step evolved out of the training as she needed it. It was a very fluid process that I adapted on the spot.
However, the principles that I applied, remain valid for other horses not only those with saddle aversions but basically with any training problem. I use the same principles for any training puzzles.
The criterion for proceeding to the next training step was a clean loop, meaning that after presentation of the cue, Blondie gave me the response without hesitation, I clicked and delivered the reinforcer, Blondie consumed the treat, I presented the cue, Blondie responded without hesitation and so on.
If you want to learn more about Loopy training, I refer you again to Alexandra Kurland’s teaching material. Alex is a fabulous teacher.
The criterion was not met whenever Blondie hesitated before responding or presented behaviours with the purpose of creating distance (e.g., walking away, pinning ears, swiping at me) and changes were applied to the programme immediately.
Each trial consisted of:
- Cue: I present the object (target)
- Behaviour: Blondie moves towards and makes contact with the target
- Reinforcement process: I click, deliver the treat and move away
The base behaviour was targeting, more specifically, I asked Blondie to target an object with different body parts.
Around that base behaviour, I systematically modified the objects (targets) in tiny increments always maintaining clean loops.
So instead of shaping new behaviour, I shaped the environment maintaining the base behaviour.
After each successful trial, I created a small distance so she could approach again. This allowed me to assess if there was engagement (clean loop) or hesitation requiring an adjustment.
That’s basically the process. The trick is to read your horse and make the right choices when to modify the progression for each step.
There are many ways to re-build the saddling routine and more than one will work. What is critical is not the final routine itself but that it was built in clean loops.
I am saying this because, I didn’t start out with a plan specifying exactly which step to take when. It was more like presenting an idea to Blondie and the next step evolved based on her response to my suggestion. Blondie was shaping the process as much as I did.
The other critical piece is that you do not train in an environment that contains stimuli controlling the behaviour that you don’t want to see anymore. Dr. Jesús Rosales-Ruiz has a great talk about this titled “Don’t fight extinction!”
As a practical example, if the ear pinning occurs in the grooming area, then don’t train the new behaviour there. Train where you already get what you’re after, i.e., a relaxed and calm horse.
Let’s look at the easier first training session, when I trained Blondie to target her back under the saddle pad.
This was pretty easy. As it turned out, the tricky part was the saddle girth, not the saddle on her back. That required a serious detour.
I did the same training with Malou but then decided that it was total overkill for her. She was already relaxed with the saddle.
Still, you can see how quickly she understands the assignment. Smart girl.
In the next email, I will summarise how I dismantled the saddle in a way that maintained Blondie’s relaxed and engaged behaviour.
Happy reading,
Michaela